Bombolulu Will Rebuild

On Sunday, March 1, Bombolulu Workshops, a Ten Thousand Villages artisan partner based in Mombasa, Kenya, was struck with a devastating fire. The blaze caused significant damage to their facilities and has become an enormous setback for them. Thankfully, no one was injured, but their showroom and woodcarving workshop were both destroyed—along with their entire stock of handcrafted products.

Bombolulu will need a great deal of support in order to rebuild their facilities and accommodate for the loss of their products. It’s in times like these that Ten Thousand Villages is committed, more than ever, to the aid and support of artisan groups. We are proud to stand by their side as they rebuild. So on Saturday, May 2 we will be hosting a Community Shopping Event where 10% of total sales will directly benefit Bombolulu. You can purchase our fairly traded products online or in your local Ten Thousand Villages store to help support the cause.

A representative from Bombolulu writes, “The Bombolulu community is determined to rise up from the ashes and move on.” This sentiment is indicative of the attitude they’ve maintained through all of the many challenges they’ve faced. In this video, we see that these men and women of Mombasa ask for opportunity, not sympathy:

About Bombolulu Workshops

Located near Mombasa, Kenya, Bombolulu Workshops was established in 1969 and became one of the branches of the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya in 1987. Today, Bombolulu provides employment, housing, medical aid and adult education for adults who are blind or physically disabled.

Their mission is to create a community where Kenyans with disabilities can become economically and socially empowered, ultimately becoming self-sufficient and fully integrated into society.

Ten Thousand Villages purchases jewelry from Bombolulu. These orders help to provide steady work for the artisans who otherwise would have very limited options for employment.